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Texas Holdem Poker Rules

Holdem is are the most popular poker game whether playing online or in live games. The popularity of the game has grown over the past years in what has become known as the 'Poker Boom'. This was fueled by the decision to televise the World Poker Tour events and in particular the introduction of the table cameras which transformed the game into a popular spectator sport. Texas Holdem is played in the main event at the World Poker Tour and World Series of poker.

In Hold'em each player is dealt two cards, face down. These are called "hole cards". Next, five community cards are dealt face up in the center of the table (this is typical of all Hold'em variations).

Players then build the best possible poker hand out of a combination of their hole cards and the community cards (those used by all players). The object of the game is to create the best hand using any of the 2 cards in your hand with any of the board cards (the community cards).

As in all poker games (except for a couple of odd variants) poker hands are ranked in the same way - see ranking of poker hands.

The game is played with a standard 52-card deck and as many as 10 poker players at each table. In Poker, a "dealer button" is used to indicate the position of the player who would be dealing the cards if the players were actually dealing the cards themselves. The player holding the button acts last and thus has a positional advantage that remains throughout the game hand.

After each hand, the button is moved one position clockwise, so that all players in the game have, after a full round, exactly the same number of opportunities to hold positional advantage.

A typical game of hold'em is played as indicated below:

All players are dealt 2 Hole cards (pre flop) + Round of Betting

The Flop (3rd community Card) + Round of Betting

The Turn (4th community card) + Round of Betting

The River (5th community card) + Final Round of Betting

SHOWDOWN (Players show their cards)

The two players on the button's immediate left must post "blind" bets. This is the automatic bets that must be put in the pot (the automatic bets) before they see their cards. Typically, the player in the very first position posts a blind bet one-half the size of the player in the second position, although in some games, the first bet ("small blind") may be as little as one-third or as much as two-thirds the size of the second bet ("big blind"). All participants in the game are now dealt two cards face down (hole cards), as in the illustration above. Texas Hold'em has 5 rounds of betting with the first round coming after everyone has their 2 hole cards. This is called the pre-flop bet.

After this first round of betting, the flop is dealt. This is the first 3 of 5 community cards which will be dealt. Already you will have an idea if you have the chance of making a hand and will have to decide whether you want to get involved. Your decision will be largely decided by the potential you have to making a winning hand combined with the amount that is being bet (that you would have to call).

It could be that you already have made your hand. You could hold a pair of Aces and the board could read A-A-10 which would give you four of a kind. The game is all about having cards that your opponent doesn't think you have and getting your opponents to put their chips in the pot when you have them beat.

The next round of betting occurs next as all players (active) should now have 5 cards to play with (3 on the board-2 in their hand). Once bets are made, the Turn card comes- this is the 4th community card. Again a round of betting now with 4 community cards and 2 in the hand. The river card is then turned and a final round of betting occurs.

The players left in the pot then turn their cards (the showdown) and the player with the best hand wins the pot.

You can fold your cards at any time. Remember you are not obliged to bet unless you are on the big or small blinds (compulsory bets), so if you don't want to get involved in the hand, it costs you nothing and you should wait for a better hand. However sitting at a table and folding continuously will result in you forking out chips on the blinds and it is key, especially in tournament play now to get blinded out the game (loose all your chips to the blinds). It is also important to remember not to feel forced to call raises when you are on the big or small blind. You should ask yourself if you would have played the hand if you were not. Of course if it is only a really small raise then you should see a flop.

You can become a profitable Texas Holdem player, but you should work to learn the tricks of the trade. You should be familiar with these poker rules, strategies, tips and tells. For that reason you should find a reliable Texas Holdem guide, which will provide you the newest and the most accurate information about the game. If you are well-informed you will be more confident at the poker table and you will can take advantage of your opponents.

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